Offshore Wind PhD Day 2026 - Beyond the PhD: Connecting Research, Careers and Industry

27 October 2026 | RodeBol, Ghent

Your PhD is only one part of your story. What comes next? This year’s Offshore Wind PhD Day explores the skills the sector needs, the different paths a PhD can take you on, and where your own expertise could fit. Then, in the afternoon, take that perspective into the real world: showcase your research to industry through the poster session and join the Sirris Wind Energy Technology Summit to meet the wider offshore-wind community.

From PhD to offshore wind: skills, careers & industry connections.

Where could your PhD take you?

A PhD can make you an expert in a very specific topic, but where can that expertise take you next?

During our morning session, we’ll look beyond the research topic itself: what skills does the offshore wind sector need, how can a PhD translate into different career paths, and how can you recognise where your own expertise could fit?

Hear from researchers who have taken very different paths after their PhD, from technical industry roles and consultancy to policy advice, entrepreneurship and academia, and discover the skills that helped them along the way.

You’ll also get the chance to reflect on your own transferable skills, the opportunities you may not have considered yet, and the next connections you want to make.

Come with your research. Leave with a broader view of where it could take you.

Your research. A real-world audience.

How can your offshore wind research make an impact beyond academia? And what makes your work truly innovative?

The 2026 PhD Day is jointly organised with the Sirris Wind Energy Technology Summit, this year's edition putting innovation centre stage. And that comes with a major bonus: all academics registered for the PhD Day get free access to the full Wind Energy Technology Summit program in the afternoon!

This means you'll not only meet fellow offshore wind researchers, but also get the chance to mingle with the industrial audience attending the Summit ànd join the impressive Summit program. It's also a unique opportunity to present your research to companies working in the sector, showcase what you're working on with our poster session and explore how your research fits into the real-world challenges of offshore wind.

Best Poster Award

We'll be organising a Best Poster Contest, with your fellow participants and Summit attendees choosing the winner(s). You'll have several opportunities to present and discuss your poster during the Summit's catering moments.

The winner(s) will be announced at the end of the Summit, just before the networking reception.

And yes, there will be a prize...We're keeping the details under wraps for now, but it will definitely be worth competing for!

What should your poster be about?

The central theme is Innovation. Think about:

• What makes your research innovative?

• Are you developing or using an innovative technology, method or approach?

• What problem does your research solve?

• Why should industry care about your findings?

• How could your research contribute to the future of offshore wind?

  
  

Keep your audience in mind. Your poster will be seen not only by researchers, but by professionals from the offshore wind industry. Avoid unexplained equations and academic jargon. Instead, make your research accessible, engaging and relevant to people who want to understand what your research means in practice.

Basic poster requirements

• A0 format

• Portrait orientation

• Bring your printed poster with you on the day

• Make sure your poster highlights innovation

• Tailor your message to an audience beyond academia

• Keep it clear, visual and engaging. Less jargon, more impact!

Need help making your poster stand out?

We've got you covered! We organised a free online workshop on how to create a great research poster, specifically tailored to communicating research to this kind of audience. The workshop covered practical tips on how to structure your story, make complex research accessible and create a poster that catches the attention of an industrial audience.

Did you miss our workshop? No worries, every registrant to the PhD Day gets the opportunity to receive the link to the recording! Definitely have a look if you want an edge during the poster contest!

Program

The program is still being finalized, so may be subject to change

• 09:00–09:45 | Registration, coffee & poster setup

• 09:45–12:00 | Offshore Wind PhD Day program

  • Opening remarks

  • What skills does offshore wind need: research insights & industry perspective

  • Where could your PhD take you? Testimonials: real career trajectories + Q&A

  • Workshop 'From PhD expertise to career opportunities': decode your own skills

• 12:00–13:30 | Joint lunch with the Wind Energy Technology Summit & poster session

• 13:30–14:50 | Wind Energy Technology Summit programme

• 14:50–15:20 | Coffee break & poster session - last chance to vote!

• 15:20–16:40 | Wind Energy Technology Summit programme

• 16:40–16:50 | Best Poster Award announcement

• 16:50–17:30 | Networking reception

Who should join?

The Offshore Wind PhD Day is open to all researchers working at Belgian knowledge institutions on any topic related to offshore wind. Its focus is on PhDs, but we also welcome postdocs and other researchers (above master level)!

Joining the Offshore Wind PhD Day, and getting free access to the Wind Energy Technology Summit, is only possible if you also join the poster contest (only posters that were registered beforehand are eligible to compete)! Don't miss this opportunity to connect your research with the wider offshore wind sector.

Register for the Offshore Wind PhD Day

Curious about what happened during the first edition? Discover the Belgian Offshore Wind PhD Day 2025